There Is No Place Like Home
by jbnorthman
Summary: Sookie and Eric return to Bon Temps for Jason's wedding 10 Years after the fairy war. One-shot Written for The Fangreaders Anniversary Writing Challenge


Title: There Is No Place Like Home

Author: JBNorthman

Beta: N/A

Anniversary: 10 years later

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I just let them trample around in my imaginary garden.

**SPOV**

It has been roughly 10 years since Eric and I have been in the states for any length of time. After the fairy war I was a mess. I was just exhausted not only figuratively but emotionally. My response to this was poor and while I considered it self-serving it was just the opposite. I tried to push everyone away. I didn't want to see the pity on their faces for the "car accident" and subsequent injuries I had suffered but more than that, I finally realized how different I truly was from everyone around me; and I hated it. I hated it with every fiber of my being. I had tried all my life to pretend that I was just like everyone else: a girl from a small town in the middle of nowhere trying to survive on her own. But no matter what I did I was always labeled a freak or a mental case because I wasn't normal and it was obvious to everyone… but me.

Eric had tried several times to talk to me about what happened and what had kept him from rescuing me himself, but I was being stubborn.

It all came to a head one night while I was working a night shift at Merlotte's. I was shielding as always but being as I wasn't fully recovered from my time with thing one and thing two, thoughts were still getting by my shields. One of the customers was thinking about how I was a fang-banging slut and the only thing I would be good enough for now was to be on my knees in front of him sucking him off. That was my breaking point. I finished delivering my tray of drinks to the table in front of me spun around so fast that I shocked the guy and he automatically thought _'shit I didn't say that out loud did I?'_ as I grabbed him by the back of his head and slammed his face into the table. Sam came rushing over with Jason in tow. By now I had the guy on the ground and I was sitting on his chest beating him in the face screaming his bullshit back to him. Sam lifted me off of him and dragged me into the office kicking and screaming.

"Sookie what happened?" asked Sam.

Jason in all his 'infinite wisdom' decided now would be the time to speak up. "What in the hell is the matter with you Sookie?"

"Me? ME?! Are you serious right now Jason Stackhouse? Did you not hear a word I said to that man?"

"You can't just go beating on a man in a bar Sookie, especially when you're doing freaky bullshit."

My freaky bullshit; this is what my own brother thought of me. It's a wonder I ever cared about him at all.

"You know what fuck you Jason Stackhouse. I am so done with your self-important bullshit! The only time you remember I'm your sister is when you need food, money or a place to hide from some girl you fucked that had a boyfriend or a husband at home. Let's just forget that it was me that helped to get your sorry ass out of jail when you couldn't keep your mouth shut to a serial killer about who you fuck. It was me who had to take the consequences for your poor marital decisions. Me who you run to when you fuck up and all you can do is stand there and call me a freak?! Go to hell Jason."

Jason made to make some kind or retort but before he could I picked up the phone from Sam's desk and threw it at him. Sam pulled Jason out of the way, out the office door and locked me inside. I don't really remember what happened after that only what I have been told.

At some point Sam called Eric. When I realized he was there I was furious but the fact of the matter is he was the only one that could have calmed me and the truth of the matter was he was the only one I wanted to be there let alone to touch me at all. It didn't stop me from trying to fight his hold though. He whispered a few words to someone and flew us to his house.

I either fell asleep or passed out during the journey and didn't wake until about an hour after Eric had risen the following night.

"_Lover?"_

"_What happened Eric?"_

"_You attacked a customer for some unsavory thoughts and when the shifter brought you to his office your brother followed. You fought with him; 'put him in his place' are the words used by the shifter and threw a phone at him. You proceeded to destroy the office. The shifter tried to calm you down through the door but after several failed attempts to get through to you at all, he called me._

"_I restrained you to stop you from further harming yourself and left your shifter's bar. I flew us to my home and you succumbed to exhaustion and have slept for about 17 hours."_

_I sighed. I didn't really want to leave the safety I felt in his arms but felt like I couldn't stay. "I need to leave Eric. I have to go home."_

"_You need to rest. We have to talk about our relationship. Besides, you have the next few days off do you not?"_

"_Yes but I still have to go." I had started to get up out of the bed when he said to me in a calm and sad voice, "Why do you always run from me?"_

_I hesitated for a moment but I was so drained and we did have to talk. Now would be the perfect time to do so. No worries about interruptions and no way for me to put it away until later. I took a deep breath before I answered._

"_I am afraid."_

"_What makes you afraid of me?" It was obvious that he was saddened by this. I wasn't necessarily afraid of him but I guess I came across that way to him. _

"_I'm not afraid of you Eric. My life has made me such an outcast and the things I have been privy too because of the telepathy has made my reactions to certain situations seem… illogical, I know."_

"_What do you mean? What situations?" _

_No time like the present right? "I was molested by my great uncle as a young child, made all the more worse because I knew what he wanted to do to me every time he came over. My gran caught him and scared him off."_

"_Did you never tell your parents?"_

"_I told my mother and she didn't believe me. She thought I was making it up for attention."_

_Eric got out of the bed then and started to pace the length of the room. I felt his anger through the bond and it took my breath away. Just as soon as it came it left and I suddenly felt very empty. Eric had shut down the bond completely and I realized I didn't like not feeling him within me._

"_Eric…" I whimpered "Please…"_

_He spun around to face me and I instantly felt him again as he gathered me into his arms. "I am sorry My Sookie. I didn't want to overwhelm you with my anger towards your mother and your great uncle. Is he alive still?"_

"_No Bill killed him." Eric just nodded._

"_I am stubborn but it's more than that. I don't want to feel like I did then; like I wasn't in charge of my own life. There is so much I still don't know about the supernatural world and I am being fought over by all kinds of supes…" I knew I was starting to get hysterical but Eric just held me tighter and ran his fingers through my hair to comfort me._

"_I will tell you whatever I can. Sometimes it is not safe for you to know. I have _never_ and will _never_ lie to you, but there are some instances that I cannot tell you things. My position in the vampire world is no different than a politician in the human world. There are things they are not allowed to tell their families."_

_I had never thought about it that way but it made so much sense to me and it made some of his actions make more sense in hindsight. "Can you explain to me about the bond? What it really means and how it works?"_

"_It means that you belong to me as much as I belong to you. Before we came out of the coffin, it was a way to have a constant food source. It is less common now however because the ability for your bonded to feel you means that they could find you in your daytime resting place and do you harm. Also it can be quite disorienting to feel a humans emotion(s) so strongly, especially for young vampire who are in far less control of their urges._

"_I can send you my feelings just as you will be able to send yours to me with practice. It cannot create feelings in you that you do not already feel. The perception that it can comes from the human side because they do not know what they are feeling and their bonded most likely wouldn't explain. You believe those feelings are your own and trust them because you don't know any different. _

"_It means that no one can touch you without my permission and no one can touch me without your permission. This is extremely important. If it was thought you were being unfaithful to me, then you could be taken from me. Again this is usually never explained because it is unnecessary. A vampire's bonded is usually afraid to leave. "_

_This information made me feel better but I wanted the feeling each other thing to be explained further. "Can you show me how the feelings thing works?"_

"_Yes. I will close my feelings off to you and I want you to feel your own. Then I will send you mine."_

"_Okay." I felt his being recede to the corner of my mind like he was dead for the day so I nodded. When he opened himself back up slowly I could feel the difference. His feelings were… bigger. Not dominating just… bigger. He changed the feeling around so that I would know what they felt like and some were easy to identify. His 'bubble' changed slightly with each emotion, something I had never really noticed before. There was always this underlying… warmth, no matter the feeling that felt like home to me. "Wow."_

"_I do not seek to control you. I never have. At first I just wanted to be around you. You made me laugh and you saw things so differently from everyone else it fascinated me. I knew when I followed you to Jackson that I loved you. I wanted you to come to me on your own terms and of your own free will though. I thought that you would want to talk to me after I regained my memories about all that we shared and when you didn't I was angry that you were pushing me away; but it didn't make me love you any less." He kissed my hair lightly._

"_You love me?"_

"_Always My Sookie; all I want is to take care of you and keep you with me." I felt the warmth swell within him and realized that what I was feeling from him was his love for me._

_I started to cry lightly and I kissed him as I ran my fingers through his beautiful long blond hair. "I love you too Eric. When you woke that night and had lost your memories of our time together I was heartbroken. That's why I pushed you away. I'm sorry. I love you so much."_

I took a week off work and stayed with Eric for that time. I apologized to Sam for wrecking his office and Eric and I (we were technically married after all) paid to fix the office up for Sam. I felt the best I had ever felt after staying with Eric that week. I went back to Merlotte's to work my shift and during my first night back, I no longer felt like I needed to be here. It was time to move on.

I told Sam it would be my last week and I started packing up my bags to move into Eric's house. Our house. He wanted to have a pledging ceremony to make up for the makeshift ceremony we had in his office to deter Victor. We had our ceremony which wasn't complete until Victor tried to attack us after the ceremony. He was killed by Eric and because I was his bonded and pledged he could not be retaliated against. The king made his apologies and told us he would do anything to make it up to us.

Eric and I decided we needed a break from the stress and constantly looking over our shoulder that came with him being a sheriff in America. De Castro released Eric from his contract as Sheriff and we, along with Pam moved to a home Eric owned in Sweden on the land where his family once lived. We kept the farm house and had everything looked after by Mr. Cataliades.

After about two months of Pam living with us she bought her own place to live stating she didn't want to be around our lovey dovey bullshit any more. It made her feel out of place to be around us and though she didn't live with us she was constantly making excuses to be over. Eric talked to her one evening about it she admitted to being jealous about how fulfilled we were and she felt out of place in the new dynamic. We all decided that while the jealousy had to work itself out that we needed to spend time with Pam. Me and her have shopping time alone once a week. She is the best friend I always wanted and never thought I would find, especially in Pam.

The way vampire lived in Sweden was so different. There were your typical bad eggs but in general everyone did their own thing. This ended up being a good thing because I went through a typical fairy quickening and gained full access to my powers. It was uncertain whether this was ever going to happen but it was suspected that it would. After the quickening was done, I was given lessons by a fairy that Dr. Ludwig put in touch with me. Eric taught me everything I needed to know to survive in our world.

Eric and I bonded in the fairy way also, once I was in control of my abilities. Bonding was not popular with fairies either apparently, but Eric and I always did things our own way. About 5 years after I moved Jason called me and wanted to see me. I told him if he wanted to see me I would give the information he needed to get to Sweden but I wasn't paying for him and that he had better come alone. He called me the following day asking what airport to fly into and how to get to our house. I didn't trust my brother yet, so Eric and I stayed in the hotel with Jason and spent his 3 days in Sweden beginning to rebuild our relationship. Eric stayed in the room while we talked but respectfully stayed silent unless it was necessary for him to speak.

Before Jason left Eric gave him a friendly warning that if he ever treated me again like he had in the past that Eric would be paying him a… uncomfortable visit. Jason agreed and went back to Bon Temps. We rebuilt our relationship with letters, phone calls, Skype and e-mails. We now had the relationship I had always wished we had.

I had kept in touch with Hunter and helped him with his telepathy as much as could over Skype. About 4 years ago Remy died in a car accident, leaving the care of Hunter to me. It was the only time we were in the states even though we never left the airport. He was scared and excited to move to a new country but came to love it as quickly as I had.

We got him a tutor so he could be home schooled while I helped him learn to shield and use his telepathy. Hunter had in every way become Eric's son and Eric was likewise Hunter's father. Hunter had called him dad even before it became legal last year. Eric was the strong male presence that Hunter had needed in his life. Remy was fearful of Hunter's ability and it had strained their relationship before his untimely death. Eric and Hunter had such a deep love for each other that sometimes I just watched them interact with each other in awe.

Eric and I had such a deeply passionate relationship now that even though we could read each other's minds, we didn't need to. I learned how to speak Swedish quite quickly much to Eric's delight and he taught me how it was spoken when he was alive.

Now 10 years later and our little family is on its way to Bon Temps for Jason's wedding. We had met Elizabeth on one of Jason's trips to Sweden. She was a sweet girl from Connecticut that had moved to Louisiana for school where she met Jason. After the wedding Jason and Elizabeth were moving to North Carolina. They both had jobs lined up and were very excited about moving after the wedding. Jason had sold his house and already shipped everything they were keeping to North Carolina. He had grown up a lot in the last 10 years and I was happy for him.

I myself was not the same person I was then. I had matured and truly was comfortable with who and what I was. Being fae guaranteed me a long life and added to that our bonds; there was no telling how long I would live. We contacted Mr. Cataliades and told him we would be in the states and wanted to go to the farm house and he told us desired to see us while we were in the area, so we were going to meet with him tonight.

"What are you thinking about so hard, min fru?" Eric asked coming in from our room on our plane as the sun had set. He lifted me out of my seat and took my place sitting me on his lap. We kissed a bit before I snuggled into his chest.

"God kväll min son."

" Kvällen pappa." Hunter replied engrossed in his book. Eric just shook his head at how similar we were.

"I was just thinking about how much has changed in the past 10 years. I love the life we have although had you asked me 10 years ago if I ever thought I would be here right now, the answer would have been a huge 'No'."

"I can agree with that."

"This trip encompasses a multi-layered anniversary for us."

"Multi-layered huh?"

"Yes; this is the 10 year anniversary of when we officially got together, the 7th year I have been Mrs. Eric Northman and the day we return home will be my birthday which is also the day my powers fully matured. Multi-layered."

"Well then we have to celebrate this momentous occasion." We went back into the bedroom and made love for the last remaining hour of the flight. I know that most people would be and are uncomfortable displaying their love in this way with their child not far away however we were different. Sex was so different in Eric's time and the way it was viewed made so much sense to me and to Hunter that it ceased to bother me. We didn't have sex in front of him or anything, but the fact that he might hear us wasn't a big deal. If anything he overheard ever bothered him he knew he could ask us about it. We were always honest with him.

After we were settled into the hotel we called Mr. Cataliades to set up a meeting time. We planned on meeting him downstairs in 20 minutes. He couldn't stay long but delivered a manila envelope to us and told us to read them when we were in private and couldn't be disturbed. We decided that we would read the letters on the way home to Sweden.

Our first stop was the farm house. It was currently empty being between renters right now so we didn't have to worry about disturbing anyone. We recalled some memories both pleasant and unpleasant. I wanted to go through things in the attic and so we all started on a section and went though the attic. It didn't take too long, a few hours, before we were done. Hunter took some old family photos and Eric wanted to keep the old roll top desk so he brought it downstairs and was going to have it shipped home. I would call around in the morning for a place to come and pick it up. As I was leaving the attic a small glimmer caught my eye and I moved some boxes to get to it. I found a small trunk that I opened up and inside was keepsakes that gran had put aside all to do with Fintan. I grabbed the box and clutched it to me and brought it downstairs. My boys noticed that I was teary eyed but they just hugged me and we left.

We were meeting Jason and Elizabeth at 9:30pm at Merlotte's for some dinner. The place hadn't changed much since the last time I was here; new waitresses but otherwise same old Merlotte's. Life seemed to almost be on pause here. People got married and had families of their own but there ambitions didn't stretch beyond Bon Temps. For some that was okay but for others they were the cause of all the narrow-mindedness that inhabited this place. No one willing to move forward and when they realized life moved forward without them they blamed the successful people for their life's failures. It was the same anywhere but in a small town it was more evident.

When we walked inside, the bar went quiet for a moment before all the whispers started. I just rolled my eyes and waited to be seated. Sam came over after getting the okay with Eric to give me hug and brought us to our table. "Sookie you are a sight for sore eyes. How are you doing?"

"Just fine Sam, you?"

"Can't complain. You guys waiting on Jason?"

"Yes."

"Eric how are you?"

"Just fine, shifter."

"Beter." I hissed in Swedish to him. Hunter chuckled under his breath at my rebuke to his father before I told him, "Du också."

Several people came to 'catch up' with me, slowly infuriating Hunter until I finally had to ask Eric to take him outside and calm him down.

Jason and elizabeth got there while my boys were outside and inquired if everything was alright.

"He's not used to the reaction I get from people here. It's not easy for him."

We made some small talk until my boys returned, Hunter kissing me on the cheek and taking a seat on the end of the booth we were in guarding his momma. We all got a bit roudy telling stories and catching up on things we had missed since we had last seen each other. At one point I heard Arlene walk into the bar with her new boyfriend and when she saw us she was instantly looking for a fight. Eric noticed too. We carried on with our meal and good time until she just couldn't stand to see how happy were anymore and came over to try and make us feel bad about our lives. I was happy to poke the bear.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. If it isn't Sookie Stackhouse. Still a fang-banger I see."

"It's Mrs. Northman and I arrived on my husband's private jet."

"It's not legal! You can't marry a vampire." It wasn't said to spite me. She actually thought she was being smart. Never mind that it was in fact legal almost everywhere now-a-days.

"Even if it wasn't legal here which it is, I don't see how that would affect me. I don't even live in the country anymore."

"And who this? Your _husband's_ dinner?" She actually made to put her filthy hands on my son. Eric stopped her before it happened though. He grabbed her wrist and tossed her hand aside.

"You put any part of your person on my son and I will see to it that you go back to jail for longer stretch then you served last time, Ms. Fowler."

"Jail?" Hunter asked with his eyebrow raised.

"Yes. This... female tried to kill your mother for being involved with me."

Hunter turned his hated filled eyes to Arlene and started spouting off at her pulling information out of her head to use against her.

"You disgusting bitch. No wonder your children antt nothing to do you! The only thing your good for is a cumdumpster and your not even good at that. You hate my mother cause your miserable in your own life and the only reason your trying 'so hard' with this guy is because he owns his own business and you want the money being his mrs would get you. I ever catch you near my mother again you can be sure you won't like the consequences."

I had never seen Arlene run so fast in all my life. I was equal parts proud of my son and wanted to correct his behavior. I would think about what to do later if anything.

We enjoyed the days we were in Bon Temps immensely. We saw some old faces like that of Bill Compton. After we moved away I recieved some information on him (from where and who was not important) that was disturbing. It was a book that had been discovered that had much of my life's history in it. It stopped around the time Eric and I moved away but the notes inside beside certain entries in his hand writing was 100% damning. It detailed his plan to lure me to the queen, to control me by keeping me ignorant and his over zealous use of his influance through his blood, which he had bespelled by a witch to make stronger to ensure that I would trust him, and his relationship with said witch that ran concurrently during our relationship. Bill tried to be nice and approach me for a hug without Eric's permission of course thinking I would just run right to him. Ha. I stopped him from approaching as much as Eric's growl did.

"That's close enough Compton." I calmly stated.

"Sookie what has he been telling you about me? Surly you know they are all lies?"

"He didn't have to tell me anything." I conjured up the book and when Bill saw it he went paler than before.

"Where did you get that?"

"That is not important. What is important is that you have committed a blood offense against my family by taking my maidenhead not only under false pretenses but under blood influence. You fate now rests in my hands."

"You couldn't kill anyone and you know it." he smirked.

"Actually I could, I have and I am. William Thomas Compton, Vampire child of the now finally dead Lorena Krisanski, for the blood offence committed against Brignant house, ruling house of the Sky fae I sentence you to your final death." I calmly walked forward, conjured up my sword and sliced Bill's head clean off. It was liberating and made me feel like I finally had full control over my life again.

Jason and Elizabeth's wedding was beautiful. It was wonderful to see my brother so happy. We danced the night away until we had to leave to return to the hotel. While my blood allowed eric the ability to be up when he wanted to be we never let it be known. We drove Jason and Elizabeth to the airport so they could leave for thier honeymoon a cruise in the carribbean: a gift from Eric, Hunter and I.

The next day on our way home to Sweden, we decided it was time to read the letter from in the envelop which was as we suspected from Niall.

_My Dearest Sookie:_

_First, let me congratulate you on your quickening. I am sorry I was unable to see you and help you through it. I am glad that your husband was able to be there for you. He is a good man despite being a vampire and I know he will treat you like the queen you deserve to be treated as._

_Now my news. I know how leaving Eric one day has plagued you and I have searched for a solution for I knew there was one but I had to find out all that it entailed._

_There is another form of a blood bond you can perform with Eric. It is unbreakable once performed and it will tie you together in such a way that if one of you dies so will the other. If you decide to do this, please take all the precautions necessary to ensure you are prepared for any eventuallity. _

_I wish we could speak in person my dearest. Perhaps one day it will be possible. If you seek to do this call this number: 045-872-9865. Ask for Annabel. When she answers just tell her that Niall told you to call. She will handle the rest._

_Be well my dearest._

_Love,_

_Prince Niall Brignant_

I looked to Eric and asked him in that silent way of ours if he wanted to go through with it. We accepted without a moments hesitation. We let Hunter read the letter and told him we were going to go through with it. He said congratulations to us, before picking out a movie for us to watch. We all curled up on Eric on the couch and once Hunter had fallen asleep I whispered to Eric, "Well min man, it looks like we will have another anniversary to celebrate in the future."

"Yes. An eternity of them." He smiled and kissed me before tucking me furthur into his side and whishing me a good night.


End file.
